Supply holder



June 30, 1970 G. J. WAGNER 3,517,822

surrmr 110mm Filed April 26, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvsmon George J. Wagner United States Patent 3,517,822 SUPPLY HOLDER George J. Wagner, 297 Lincoln Drive, Bridgeville, Pa. 15017 Filed Apr. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 724,364

Int. Cl. A47f /00 US. Cl. 211-11 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A supply holder for use with a horizontal surface such as a table top. The holder includes a horizontal tray raised above the table and extending between two vertical end members which engage the table top. A vertical rack extends upwardly from the tray and serves to support supplies or auxiliary supply holders such as test tube rocks. The supply holder is fixed to a table top by clamps or the like.

This invention relates to a supply holder for use with a horizontal surface such as a table top, for example.

In many circumstances individuals have need for a large working surface combined with compact, readily accessible holding devices for their paraphernalia. Typical of one such cercumstance is the student in a science lab where he needs his test tubes, beakers, Bunsen burners and the like at a convenient location on his work table. Ordinarily such work tables are provided with shelves and drawers for this purpose. These shelves and drawers are made as permanent fixtures to the work table. Likewise, the tables are usually placed in a permanent position in the classroom. Such tables are generally expensive and their use confined.

I have overcome the deficiencies noted above by providing a supply holder which can be used with any kind of a fiat horizontal surface, such as a table top, and can be taken off of such surface when it is not needed. Thus, by using my invention a table need not be provided with permanent shelving or drawers where a requirement for a supply holder exists. Accordingly the table may be a portable table which can be used for a variety of purposes rather than being limited to one particular use. Specifically, my supply holder comprises, preferably, a pair of spaced upstanding end members having surface engaging bottom portions lying substantially in a common horizontal plane; a generally horizontal elongated tray member extending longitudinally between intermediate positions of the end members for supporting supplies; upstanding rack mteans extending upwardly from the try member for supporting additional supplies; and clamp means for removably fixing the supply holder to a horizontal surface such that the bottom portion of the end members engage portions of the horizontal surface.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following dsecription of certain present preferred embodiments thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown certain present preferred embodiments of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective veiw of one embodiment of the supply holder of my invention showing same fixed to an end portion of a horizontal table top;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the supply holder of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side elevation and plan views, respectively, of the supply holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front or rear elevation view of another embodiment of the supply holder of my invention;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are side elevation, bottom plan, and

3,517,822 Patented June 30, 1970 top plan views, respectively, of the supply holder of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-4, 10 generally designates one embodiment of the supply holder of this invention. Supply holder 10 includes a pair of identical parallel spaced, elongated, generally wedge-shaped end members 12, each of which has a fiat bottom portion 14 suitably shaped to engage a horizontal surface such as a table 16 part of which is illustrated. Suitable padding 18 is fixed to bottom portion 14 so that the end members 12 can engage surface portions of table 16 without danger of marring or scratching same. A flat elongated shelf or tray member 20 is suitably transversely fixed to intermediate portions of the inner surfaces of end members 12. The width dimension of tray member 20 is slightly less than the wide width portion of end members 12, and the tray member 20 is arranged with respect to end members 12 such that the inner longitudinal edge of tray member 20 lies substantially on the plane including the back edges of end members 12 and slightly recessed inwardly of the forward edges of end members 12. The recess just mentioned is filled by an elongated edge member 22 suitably fixed to tray member 20 so that a lip extends above the upper surface of tray member 20. The lip defined by edge member 22 serves to prevent any articles loosely positioned on tray member 20 from sliding or rolling oif of the tray member 20. An elongated rigid planar rack member 24, shown as a peg board, is suitably fixed to the rear surface portions of end members 12 and extends upwardly from the rear edge of tray member 20 to the top of end members 12. A suitable reinforcing strip 26 is fixed to the upper edge of rack member 24 to enhance the rigidity thereof. A pair of elongated parallel spaced support members 30 extend transversely to rack member 24 and are suitably fixed to the inner edge of try member 20. The bottom edges of support members 30 lie on the plane of the bottom edges of end members 12 which plane would lie on table 16. Identical L-shaped brackets 32 are suitably fixed to lower portions of support members 30 so that the short leg of the L is directed inwardly as shown. The brackets 32 are disposed on support members 30 in such a manner that the short leg of the L is disposed underneath the top of a table, typically as shown. Identical tabbed screws 34 having swivel pads 35 are received in each of end portions of the short legs of brackets 32. The screws 34 and brackets 32, thus, form clamps for securing supply holder 10 to table 16.

Various auxiliary article holder-s may be readily secured to rack member 24 and onto the surface of tray member 20. For example, a test tube holder 40 may be secured to rack member 24 while bottle or miscellaneous item holders 42 and 44 may be secured on the surface of tray member 20. Many other variations of auxiliary holders may be arranged on supply holder 10 to suit specific desires.

The tray member 20' is raised above the surface of table 16. This arrangement permits maximum use of table surface, since the portion of the table surface below tray member 20 could be put to use while the supply holder 10 is being used. For example, books, additional supplies, partially completed experiments, or the like, could be stored in the table surface below tray member 20. Raising tray member 20 also facilitates cleaning of the surface of a table especially if something were to be spilled on the table.

One other embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5-8. The supply holder shown therein is generally designated 50, and includes a pair of parallel spaced identical generally triangular-shaped end members 52 having surface engaging, padded bottom portions, and an elongated tray member 54 extending between the end members and suitably fixed to intermediate portions of the inner surface thereof. Each longitudinal edges of tray member 54 has an edge member 56 fixed thereto and disposed above the upper surface to define a lip for preventing any loosely held articles from rolling or sliding off tray member 54. An elongated rigid, planar rack member 58 is vertically disposed between end members 52 along the longitudinal centerline of tray member 54 and in abutment therewith. Thus, rack member 58 separates tray member 54 into two article supporting surfaces. A suitable reinforcing strip 60 is slot fitted onto the upper edge portion of rack member 58 to enhance the rigidity thereof.

The supply holder 50 is secured to a table surface by clamps 70 arranged oppositely on both sides of the supply holder. Each clamp 70 includes a flat generally C- shaped member 72 having a horizontal upper leg 73, a vertical leg 74 fixed to the upper leg and disposed outwardly of end member 52 and a horizontal lower leg 75 fixed to vertical leg and parallel to upper leg 73. Lower leg 75 is shorter in length than upper leg 73 and extends in the same direction as upper leg 73, that is inwardly of end member 52. Upper leg 73 is slidably received in a suitably provided slot in end member 52, with a portion of leg 73 being arranged inwardly of leg member 52 and in abutment with portion of the underside surface of tray member 54. A bracket 76 is attached to the underside of tray member 54 and is fitted over a portion of upper leg 73. A lock screw 78 is received centrally through bracket 76 and is for locking clamp 70 in a fixed position relative to the elements of supply holder 50. The vertical leg 74 of clamp 70 is of such length that lower leg 75 fits conveniently under the top of a table. Lower leg 74 receives a tabbed screw 80 therethrough which screw has a swivel pad 81 at the inner end thereof. The screws 80' of the respective clamps 70 can be tightened to fix supply holder 50 on a table. The clamps 70 may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly of end members 52 to meet table dimension requirements.

As in the case of the first embodiment, supply holder 50 can be provided with various auxiliary, article holding devices such as test tube holders 82 and bottle or miscellaneous article holders 84.

While I have shown and described certain present preferred embodiments of the invention it is to be dis tinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A supply holder for use with a generally flat horizontal surface, comprising:

a pair of spaced upstanding end members having inner and outer surfaces and having surfaces engaging bottom portions lying substantially in a common horizontal plane;

a generally horizontal elongated tray member fixed to and extending longitudinally between the inner surfaces of said end members;

upstanding rack means supported by at least one of said members and extending upwardly from said tray member for supporting supplies; and claim means fixed at least in part to one of said members having a pair of clamps one of which extends outwardly of the outer surface of one end member and the other of which extends outwardly of the outer surface of the other end member, each of sa d clamps extending downwardly into position for engaging said horizontal surface and being outwardly inwardly adjustable with respect to said end members.

2. A supply holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rack means is an elongated vertical planar member extending longitudinally along an intermediate position of said tray member between intermediate portions of the inner surface of said end members to thereby define two longitudinally extending support surfaces on said tray member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,503 2/1886 Butler 248207 X 417,997 12/1889 Dupuis 24820*7 X 454,553 6/1891 Whitten 248-207 X 948,377 2/1910 Prouty 312196 X 1,781,152 11/1930 Abbott 312-287 X 2,338,310 l/1944 Barnes 21 174 2,954,878 10/1960 Metzler et a1. 21l-184 3,424,421 1/1969 Kalbow et a1. 211-74 X DAVID H. BROWN, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 211-74, 86 

